Kerala envisions a future rooted in the port-led development and strives to become a gateway to economic prosperity by harnessing its coastal assets, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has said.
Virtually addressing a roadshow at Hotel Le Meridian here, as a precursor to the third Global Maritime India Summit (GIMS) 2023, Sonowal said Kochi’s boundless maritime potential was exemplified by its remarkable 21.8 per cent growth in the liner connectivity index in the second quarter of 2023.
In the event held on Thursday, the union minister praised Cochin Shipyard Ltd, and said the ”world-renowned” establishment was serving as India’s primary shipbuilding and repair hub.
”Kerala envisions a future rooted in the port-led development and strives to become a gateway to economic prosperity by harnessing its coastal assets. Kerala’s all-weather seaport in Cochin hosts significant liquid bulk and container terminals, thriving within its port-based Special Economic Zones,” he said.
The roadshow was organised by the ministry in partnership with the Cochin Port Authority and Cochin Shipyard Ltd.
GMIS 2023 is to be held from October 17 to October 19, 2023 in Mumbai. Sonawal said that the ongoing Kochi Water Metro project was committed to promoting coastal community development, thereby transforming local livelihoods by providing metro connectivity to 10 islands through a 78-kilometre network, benefiting over one lakh islanders. ”Kerala is also home to the world-renowned Cochin Shipyard Ltd, serving as India’s primary shipbuilding and repair hub. Cochin’s maritime potential is, thus, boundless, exemplified by its remarkable 21.8 per cent growth in the liner connectivity index in the second quarter of 2023,” Sonawal said.
Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur said that in pursuit of transforming India’s waterways into thriving hubs of commerce and tourism, ”we have witnessed remarkable growth in cruise tourism and economic development of our hinterland regions”. In a detailed presentation, Deputy Chairperson of Cochin Port Authority Vikas Narwal shed light on India’s 12 major ports and over 200 non-major ports and focused on Kerala ports’ contribution to the Indian maritime ecosystem. ”With 28 shipbuilding yards in the country, and Kerala boasting the largest, 14 million GRT ship carrying capacity and over 2.5 lakh seafarers navigating worldwide, the Indian maritime community is robust where Kerala stands as a pillar of strength. India is trading with more than 100 nations across the world today and 1.3 per cent of our merchandise trade goes through Cochin Port,” he has said.
Narwal further added that two ports — JNP and Mundra — rank among the top 40 global ports and India is among the top five in trained manpower as per 2021 data. ”We are ranked 2nd in global ship recycling and 38th in logistics performance index as per the recently released data in 2023,” he said.
Senior officials including from the shipyard, SEZ, Maritime Board, Vizhinjam International Seaport, and the Port Trust among others, took part in the roadshow.
